Newcastle council leader Nick Forbes found himself in the middle of a row between Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Here’s how it came about:

What happened?

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn challenged Prime Minister Theresa May to explain a series of text messages sent to someone called “Nick”, during their weekly high-profile question and answer session in the House of Commons.

Who sent the texts?

David Hodge, the leader of Surrey County Council.

Who did he send them to?

They were sent to Nick Forbes, the leader of Newcastle City Council. But Mr Hodge seems to have sent them by mistake. He actually meant to send them to Nick King, an official based in London who works for Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid.

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What were they about?

Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons (Image: PA)

They appeared to show that the Government and Surrey County Council had come to an arrangement about funding for social care services in Surrey. The council had been planning to hold a referendum on whether to put up council tax by 15 per cent to pay for care services - but now it has decided the increase isn’t needed.

Why is this a big deal?

Because it suggests that the Conservative government has done a special deal with Surrey County Council - run by Conservative councillors - to help them pay for social care. And other councils don’t seem to be getting the same type of help, even though they also say they need more money for social care.

Both the Government and Surrey County Council deny a deal has been done.

How did Nick Forbes get involved?

Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London (Image: PA)

It’s not entirely clear, but it seems that Surrey Council’s leader simply had more than one “Nick” in his mobile phone address book, and made a mistake. Coun Forbes is leader of the Labour group on the Local Government Association, a body which represents local councils, and passed the messages on to local government colleagues. They were then given to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s office, though it’s not clear who did that.

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Will Coun Forbes get into trouble?

It’s unlikely, because his role in the Local Government Association is a political one. He leads the Labour group, and there’s no reason why he should be impartial if he disagrees with something that Conservatives are doing.

Whether he was right to pass on a text message sent to him by mistake is a matter of opinion.

What happens next?

The Government is under pressure to explain exactly what sort of arrangement it has agreed with Surrey County Council. Other councils, such as those in the North East, will be pushing for the same level of help. And Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was widely seen at Westminster to have scored a victory in his weekly question session with the Prime Minister.